Two new takeout staff and their takeouts: Mei Chen of Hong Kong Chef in Dorchester, top, and Nathan Long of Wok N Talk in JP, bottom. (Kelly Creedon for Planet Takeout)

BOSTON — When Lisa Li moved in with her sister’s family in Boston 4 years ago, the job prospects were dismal, especially for someone who didn’t speak English. What she did have was 15 years of experience running Chinese restaurants in Colombia.

“When we watched the news or read the paper, we saw that so many Americans didn’t have jobs. So we said, ‘Let’s work together to open a restaurant!'” she said.

She and her family set out to buy the perfect takeout. One in Somerville was too small; another in Walpole was too far away from the home they share in Malden. In March, they found something promising in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester, called Hong Kong Chef.

“We were here scouting the place for a good week and we saw that it does have really good business,” said Li's niece Mei Chen. “So we came and we were training with the owner for about a month, just seeing how things work and his interactions with his customers. And we kind of fell in love with this place because it’s spacious, there’s room to grow. It’s a packed neighborhood, so we figured that, why not? Give it a try.”

A neighborhood institution

By April the Dorchester takeout was theirs. After 5 years, the previous owner had become tired of the long hours and was moving on to run a laundry.

And even before him, Hong Kong Chef had been a neighborhood institution. Crystal Stanish, 28, remembered it well.

“It’s been a neighborhood place," she said. "It’s been here since I’ve grown up, since I was a kid. We always have it. I don’t live around here anymore so we make a habit, when we come to visit the parents, we come in and get it and have it for dinner. It’s just good, and it’s home.”

What really makes it home is the deliveryman.

“He knows my mom, he knows the family, he knows our address and it’s always right there really fast. And he’s so funny and he comes in," Stanish said. "It’s neighborhood, it’s the same people. There’s not a high turnover. You recognize people. I like that about it — and I like the food.”

Turning a customer into a regular

What the Li family has been finding out is that food quality can sometimes be secondary to the relationships with customers.

Chen said that since they’ve taken over, the flow of customers has slowed. She suspected it was because people miss the old owner and don’t trust the new owners yet. It couldn’t be the food, since the chefs are the same, as is the menu, for the most part. They’ve even added a few new dishes — like fried plantains, which some customers had asked for — and tweaked the recipe for others like chicken wings and crab Rangoon.

Chen had paid attention to the previous owner’s interactions with his customers.

“The customers would come in or even call and he would recognize their voice and he would say, ‘Oh do you want a D25 or a D2? Oh, no onion in your fried rice.' Something like that. He would just know from looking at them or just hearing their voice. That’s great. That’s something that we want to accomplish as well, because it seems like it’s one of the things that really brings customers back into the restaurant,” she said.

Ted, who declined to give his last name, has lived in the neighborhood his whole life and remembered the old owner fondly. “He was just genuine and kind and the whole family seems to be — the whole group just seemed to work together so well,” he said.

For Li, running the takeout has become a family affair too: Her nephew runs the counter several days a week and Chen works there when she’s not working as a nurse at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Her mom helps out after her job at a dollar store. And they both pick up produce by hand several times a week.

While Ted isn’t quite sure about the new staff, he said he was willing to give them a chance: “Let’s see how the food is, how the comfortability factor is, and go from there.”

When I told regular customer Crystal Stanish that the takeout had changed hands, she said she'd noticed having a harder time ordering on the phone. But she said the food hadn’t changed and most importantly, neither had the deliveryman.

“He’s a great, fun guy and he literally has been delivering since I can remember. He’s been here forever, so hopefully they keep him,” she said.

Can the takeout evolve?

But is it any easier to start a takeout from scratch? I went to Wok N Talk on the border of Mission Hill and Jamaica Plain to find out. It doesn’t look like a traditional takeout: The walls are painted a cheerful lime green and orange, and udon noodles and pad Thai sit alongside lo mein on the menu.

Owner Nathan Long and his business partner borrowed $300,000 from relatives 2 years ago to set it up. They didn’t want to open just another run-of-the-mill Chinese takeout.

“You go to a traditional one, and you usually see hundreds and hundreds of items. I go to there and I have a headache ordering,” Long said.

So Long and his partner stripped down the menu. Only five appetizers. The main dish was stir-fried noodles: Customers could choose their noodle, their sauce and their meat, and it would be cooked up right in front of them.

But customers found the menu too sparse and business suffered. So crab Rangoon, chicken wings, boneless spareribs and around 20 other takeout standbys reluctantly went back onto the menu.

Still, Long didn't include any "very traditional" dishes like egg foo young. "Because I think the way people are eating, they’re already slowly, slowly changing,” he said.

A new generation with old tastes

Long hopes Wok N Talk is welcoming to busy young professionals in the neighborhood. He's hired non-Chinese waitstaff and installed a comments box, which overflows with tiny pieces of paper.

Some the comments affirm that Wok N Talk is fulfilling one of the basic functions of the traditional Chinese takeout: supplying the neighborhood with greasy food until 3 a.m. One customer wrote, “Late-night food is essential to the functioning of a proper society and you, you provide this — be proud!”

Wok N Talk has also found itself part of the gentrification of the neighborhood.

“Some people tell us, before, at nighttime, [the neighborhood] was quite scary. So I think that as we come in, as more and more businesses come in, and the community does more work at this, to keep the place clean, it will change the neighborhood. It will change the neighborhood,” said Long.

Where are you a regular?

We want to hear your side of the story. What’s your relationship with your local takeout? Do they know your order when you walk in the door? Do you know your deliveryman? Is Chinese food a late-night indulgence for you?

To tell your story, call 617-477-8688, or go to the Planet Takeout website to leave a story or upload photos. And stay tuned for the next installment of Planet Takeout, where we’ll explore more deeply the tensions between takeouts and the neighborhoods they’re in.

These tacos are the perfect destination for leftover chicken. Set up a taco bar and let your family assemble their own tacos with their favorite fillings and toppings. You can find chipotles en adobo in the Mexican food section of the grocery store.

Mash the avocados with the lime juice in a medium bowl. Season with about 1 tsp. of the salt and the pepper, or to taste.

Set a large, heavy-based skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and onion, sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt, and cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder and cinnamon and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, chipotle, and adobo sauce and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, mashing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Stir in the chicken, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the chicken heats through, about 10 minutes. Taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Let diners assemble their own tacos by spreading the warm tortillas with the avocado and then topping with the chicken, cheese, cabbage, cilantro, and a squeeze of juice from the lime wedges.

BOSTON — There is still time to take advantage of Restaurant Week in Boston. The city's best restaurants are offering patrons great dishes and prix fixe selections until March 30th.

Search the event website for restaurant listings by neighborhood, time of day or cuisine and fine special offers, like the free glass of wine with dinner or a tasting menu, or "lamb swag" from Clink to promote their Red Cooked Lamb Sandwich.(You can vote here for your favorite lamb dish.) Thanks to the great weather, several places have thrown open their patios, so rush to your fave outdoor spot!

If you do take advantage of this special kind of March madness, take a few tips from the website and from Andleman:

> Make your reservations during Restaurant Week as early as possible, they tend to go fast.> Reserve at ONE place per meal to give others a chance to get the reservations they want.
> Finally, remember to tip according to what your meal is valued at, rather than on the deal.
]]>Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:06 PM +0000http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Quick-Skillet-Mac-and-Cheese-5737
Did you think that homemade mac and cheese was too complicated to make on a weeknight? Well, think again because this recipe will have creamy, luscious mac and cheese on your table in less than 30 minutes.
]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Quick-Skillet-Mac-and-Cheese-5737

Who says you can’t have indulgent comfort food on a weeknight? Be sure to use a broiler-safe skillet, such as a cast-iron one.

Position a rack about 4 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until just tender. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a 12-inch ovenproof skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue whisking until well combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk in the milk and continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens, 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the Emmentaler, Gruyère, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme and whisk until the cheese is melted and the mixture is smooth, 2 minutes. Stir in the pasta to coat with the sauce. Off the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano evenly over the pasta.

Don't have time to soak the beans overnight? Put them in a 4-quart saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 2 inches and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and soak for 2 hours. Drain the beans and continue with the recipe.

Directions

Sort through the beans to make sure there are no little stones and then put them in a large bowl or pot. Add enough cold water to cover the beans by 2 inches and let soak overnight. Drain the beans well, tilting the colander instead of shaking it to gently extract the water and protect the beans' skins.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.

Melt the butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes.

Add the chile powders, cumin, allspice, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add the broth and ham hock. Stir to combine. Add the beans and bring just to a simmer. Cover and bake until the beans are easy to bite into but still a little mealy in texture, 45 to 60 minutes.

Stir in the coffee, molasses, ketchup, Worcestershire, and oregano. Bake, uncovered, until the beans are fully tender, 30 to 60 minutes more. Cool to room temperature. Discard the oregano stems and the skin from the ham hock. Cut the meat off the bone and chop. Add the meat to the beans and discard the bone. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

To finish, bring to a simmer, uncovered, over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce is reduced to the consistency of thin gravy, stirring occasionally so the bottom doesn't burn, 40 to 60 minutes. Stir in the bourbon (if using) and season the beans to taste with salt and pepper.

Susie Middleton is editor at large for Fine Cooking magazine.
]]>Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:03 AM +0000http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Vegetable-Saut-with-Orange-and-Balsamic-5584
This healthful, brightly flavored side dish is perfect for a weeknight—it cooks in less than 10 minutes.
]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Vegetable-Saut-with-Orange-and-Balsamic-5584

This healthful, brightly flavored side dish is perfect for a weeknight—it cooks in less than 10 minutes.

In a pot fitted with a steamer basket, bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil. Put the haricots verts in the steamer basket, cover, and steam until bright green and just beginning to soften, 2 minutes. Transfer the haricots verts to a bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and rosemary and cook, stirring, until the shallots begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the haricots verts and bell pepper and cook, stirring, until the pepper begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Stir in the orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and orange zest. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until just wilted, about 20 seconds. Remove from the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

February 9, 2012 – We can only imagine, that ever since the high middle ages - when Geoffrey Chaucer first turned the feast of an obscure 3rd century Saint into a celebration of romantic love - that Valentine's Day has had its advocates and its detractors: Lovers - awash with romantic notions - have perhaps always looked forward to Feb 14 with anticipation. And maybe others – loners, independents and skeptics - have long rolled their collective eyes at all the fuss. Well these days, Valentines Day – like so many holidays – comes with no shortage of stuff to buy, themed menus and special events - for every possible demographic. And in the end, can you really argue with a mid-winter excuse to get out of the house on a weeknight? So here are some Valentine's Day ideas for all you lovers – and you loners – out there from our resident insiders, J Squared - Jan Saragoni and Jared Bowen.

Lala Rokh/Beacon Hill
Tucked away in Beacon Hill, Persian-themed Lala Rokh takes its name from an epic romance by the 19th century poet Thomas Moore, which tells the story of a beautiful young princess on a journey of love and discovery. Valentine’s Day features a four-course prix fixe menu ($48/person) of flavorful staples like Borani-e Garch (mushrooms over grilled, yogurt-drizzled cornbread), Baghla Pollo (braised lamb shank in tomato saffron sauce and rice spiced with fresh dill & fava beans) and Khoresht-e Bademjan (slow-cooked beef with roasted baby eggplant and saffron-seared tomatoes). An a la carte menu is also available.

Asana and M Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Valentine’s Day Delights
"Experience an evening of indulgence this Valentine’s Day at Four-Star Asana restaurant. Delight in a decadent four-course dinner menu specially created by Asana’s culinary team available from Saturday, February 11, 2012 through Tuesday, February 14, 2012. Menu is USD75 per person and an additional USD55 for champagne and wine pairings. Menu attached. And toast to love at M Bar & Lounge where Executive Pastry Chef Nelson Paz has created an assortment of tantalizing house-made chocolate truffles to enjoy complimentary with the purchase of two glasses of Veuve Clicquot Rose available for USD50."

Events And Music Sex at the Zoo Lecture
Franklin Park Zoo Presents an Evening on the Private Lives of Animals.
With a nod to Valentines Day, the Franklin Park Zoo takes a peek into the private lives of animals – do they find each other attractive? Are their mating rituals between humans and animals similar in any way? What can the techniques that animals use to attract mates teach us about romance? This adults- only affair is presented by Dr. Rory Browne with insights into the pros and con of of being in a relationship vs. staying single in the animal kingdom. Lecture takes place in the Tropical Forest Pavillion, home to gorillas, ring-tailed lemurs and of course a giant anteater. Friday, Feb.10 6:00 –8:30. $20 single ticket, $35 pair. Wines by Greenvale Vineyards.

Boston Camerata – the eminent early music ensemble, performs “The Game of Love” (“Jeu d’Amour”)
Artistic Director Anne Azema is joined by intrumentalist Shira Kammen, Tom Zajac and singers Jane Sheldon and Deborah Moore in a special vocal performance emphasizing the “lighter and lustier” side of the Middle Ages (who knew?) with songs dealing with springtime, youth, erotic intrigue as celebrated in village revels, courtly chambers and pre-Internet trysting places. First Lutheran Church, Berkley Street, Boston, Sunday Feb. 12 at 8:00 p.m.

Rebecca Parris Trio/”In Love with Parris” Valentine’s Concert
Rare Boston performance with her long time trio! A romantic evening of impeccable vocal jazz from a beloved local icon of the genre. One Show Only, Saturday Feb.11, 8 pm, Arlington Regent Theater. Tickets $18 - $28.

A.R.T. Ever After Gala
Monday, February 13, 2012
"Princes and Princesses, proclaim your love for the A.R.T. with the 2nd Annual Valentine's Gala, an enchanted fairytale evening of love potions and Grimm notions. Featuring a unique cabaret performance by Broadway composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz, with Jared Bowen of WGBH as emcee, and a special A.R.T. Angel Award to longtime A.R.T. friend and community volunteer Joan Parker. With a darkly romantic fairy tale theme, A.R.T. Ever After promises to be the social event of the winter. The Castle will be transformed into a wooded forest where guests will mingle with story book characters before enjoying a delicious feast."

Venetian Valentine
Tuesday, February 14, 2012, 6:30-9:30 PM
"A Venetian-inspired Valentine at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Enjoy live music and good conversation over artfully-designed small plates, cocktails and dessert. And then explore the Gardner Museum's magnificent new wing and historic galleries, including the restored Tapestry Room and the rarely open Little Salon, with its putti-adorned mirror and courtship tapestries." $225 per couple/$125 per individual; Members: $150/$85

Green Eyes
Playing at the Ames Hotel through February 26th
"Straight from its sold-out run in New York City, Company One is proud to present Travis Chamberlain's highly acclaimed site-specific production of Tennessee Williams' GREEN EYES at The Ames Hotel. Written in 1970 but unpublished for almost 40 years, this "lost" erotic thriller graphically reveals the impact of war through the sexual fantasies of a newlywed couple honeymooning in New Orleans. He's a soldier, traumatized by his participation in the war; she's a ravenous woman determined to satisfy the darkest recesses of her most deviant desires. Starring the acclaimed NYC actress Erin Markey"a kittenish vixen whose sexual pliancy hides an iron will" (The New York Times)--GREEN EYES transforms a honeymoon suite into a psychosexual battleground where desire and violence blur and become indistinguishable. With only 25 seats available per show, this is an exclusive theatrical event you do not want to miss!"

Broadway's Rachel York and Brent Barrett in Isn't It Romantic?
Sunday, February 19th, 1pm at Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston
Co-stars in the West End production of "Kiss Me Kate" (familiar to PBS audiences as it was filmed for Great Performances), this dynamic pair re-unite for a concert at Waltham's Reagle Theatre.

Project Dream Dress
Saturday, March 3 at 1010 Harrison Avenue in Boston 10-2
Military brides-to-be can choose from more than 100 designer gowns (at no cost to them) at a Project Dream Dress event held at the Atrium at Morgan Memorial Goodwill.
Lasell College has contributed the couture gowns which were donated by an exclusive and anonymous design house for Lasell's fashion students to study. They're valued at between $1,000-$8,000. Lasell fashion students will serve as stylists and provide free tailoring and Zoots will provide complimentary dry cleaning services. Brides must register in advance at bridesacrossamerica.com

To prepare the sweetbreads: Put the sweetbreads in a bowl and cover with
cold water; refrigerate overnight.

Drain the sweetbreads, pat dry, and transfer to a 6-quart pot with 12
cups of water. Add the carrots, celery, onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaf,
and peppercorns. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cover, and bring
to a boil. Uncover, reduce to a simmer, and cook until tender, about 10
minutes. Set a fine strainer over a 5-quart pot and drain the
sweetbreads. Peel the membrane from the sweetbreads and pat dry;
refrigerate.

To make the chestnut cream: Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a paring
knife, score the chestnuts with an X on their flatter side and roast them
on a baking sheet until the spot where they've been scored opens up,
about 15 minutes.

Let the chestnuts cool just until you can handle them and peel away the
shell as well as the inner skin, which can be bitter. Reserve 3 of the
chestnuts and chop the rest.

In a medium saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Add
about half of the carrot, celery, onion, and parsnip (reserve the rest
for serving) and cook, stirring often, until tender and just slightly
colored, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the chopped chestnuts and the port, increase the heat to medium-high,
and cook until the wine is reduced by half. Add the cream and the broth
and simmer until the vegetables are very tender and the flavors combined,
about 40 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Pass it through
a fine-mesh strainer into a clean saucepan, pressing on the solids with a
ladle. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If it's too thick, thin it
with a little water and taste it again for seasoning. Keep warm if
serving right away.

To sauté the sweetbreads: Season the sweetbreads with salt and pepper.
Put the flour in a shallow dish and add the sweetbreads, tossing to coat.
Shake off the excess flour and transfer them to a rack set in a rimmed
baking sheet.

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add
half of the sweetbreads and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about
5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with
another
4 tablespoons of butter and the remaining sweetbreads.

Meanwhile, just before serving, finely slice the reserved chestnuts. Melt
1 1/2 teaspoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat.

Add the reserved vegetables, apple, and sliced chestnuts and cook,
stirring, until just tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Season this "vegetable
brunoise" to taste with salt and pepper.

To assemble: Spoon the chestnut cream onto the center of each plate and
arrange the sweetbreads on top. Finish with the vegetable brunoise, the
reserved celery leaves, and fleur de sel and serve.

Reprinted from My Last Supper: The Next Course by Melanie Dunea (c) 2011.
By permission of Rodale, Inc. Available wherever books are sold.

Sure it's a Saint Patrick's Day tradition, but why wait for the beer to turn green to have corned beef and cabbage? And have I got a great recipe for you.

You can buy a piece of beef at the market which has been corned for you, but have looksee at the label—if you can pronounce all the ingredients without sounding like Colin Firth in The Kings Speech, I'll wash your car. Fear not, all "corning" is, is a week long salt and herb spice for beef.

Combine water, salt, sugar, coriander and mustard seeds, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, red pepper flakes, and garlic—then submerge a 6 pound beef brisket for refrigerate it for a week. Then simmer it with some onions and carrots for a few hours and you, my friends, have yourself a delicious homemade corned beef.

To accompany it, instead of boiled cabbage, how about a platter of roasted vegetables—such as cabbage, of course, carrots, turnips, potatoes, and beets. Oh and I am not very good at washing cars, you should see my own.

In a large pot, stir together salt and water until salt dissolves. Stir in sugar, coriander, mustard, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, pepper flakes, and garlic. Add beef and submerge. Place a small plate on top of the beef to keep it underwater.

Directions
Rinse brisket; discard brine. Place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add onion, celery, and halved carrot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Transfer corned beef to a cutting board. Tent with foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
v Discard remaining solids from broth and strain. Discard all but ½ cup of broth.

In a large bowl, add cabbage and drizzle with olive oil to lightly coat.

Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and place in oven. Add carrots and potatoes to the bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and place in oven. Add Brussels sprouts to the bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and place in oven. Add potatoes to the bowl, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and place in oven.

Turn vegetables every 15 minutes or so until well-browned.

Remove to a platter once they are cooked and tent with foil.

Trim excess fat from beef. Slice thinly against grain, and transfer to platter. Serve with broth and mustard.

___________________________________________________________Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.
]]>Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:50 PM +0000http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Braised-Fennel-and-Leeks-By-Annie-Copps-2026
http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Braised-Fennel-and-Leeks-By-Annie-Copps-2026

Typically it's a big, tough piece of meat that gets transformed by braising, but I found that when slowly cooked in a bit of wine and chicken stock, my two favorite root vegetables, fennel and leeks, turn luscious and silky. The fennel hangs on to a bit of its licorice-y-ness, while most of the onion taste of the leek converts into a vaguely sweet flavor.

Heat your oven to 400 degrees and get started with about 8 leeks. Like all vegetables, leeks come from the earth, but leeks don't like to let go of their dirty beds—be sure to wash them well, because one small grain of dirt will feel like a boulder in your mouth.

Arrange the leeks and thinly sliced fennel in a casserole dish and scatter butter over the top, then pour chicken stock and some wine into the pan. Cover with foil and cook about 40 minutes.

Remove the foil and scatter parmesan cheese and bread crumbs over the top and cook until the top is well browned. So good—the leeks and fennel are rich and creamy and the topping crunchy, a delicious and satisfying contrast of textures and flavors.

___________________________________________________________Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.
]]>Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:55 PM +0000http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Spaetzle-by-Annie-Copps-1689
http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Spaetzle-by-Annie-Copps-1689

If you are on your way home tonight and tired of pasta, I have a new idea for you—spaetzle! Spaetzle is a cross between a dumpling and a noodle and it's a fast weeknight side dish that is fun to make. You can buy a spaetzle makers, but a colander with large holes works just fine.

Directions
Place flour in mixing bowl. Add eggs and mix until blended.

Slowly add milk, mixing constantly, to form a stiff dough. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Fill a soup kettle full of water and bring to a boil. Hold colander over kettle (wear heavy, long mitts to avoid burns from steam), pour spaetzle dough into colander, and press through the holes with a rubber spatula, forcing spaetzle into boiling water. When noodles rise to the surface, they are done.

Drain, spoon into a bowl, top with butter, and serve with stew or goulash.

___________________________________________________________Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.
]]>Mon, 24 Jan 2011 07:38 AM +0000By Annie Copps]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/My-Moms-Meatloaf-By-Annie-Copps-1675
]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/My-Moms-Meatloaf-By-Annie-Copps-1675

For some people, meatloaf is the food they ate when there was nothing left in the house. For me, the meatloaf was so good, I had to beg my mother to make it. My Mom, also a terrific cook, had a "thing" about meatloaf, I think she thinks of it as a little de classe. Occasionally she would succumb, but she couldn’t understand why we liked it so much. Now she confesses to making and enjoying it—no wonder, wait until you try this recipe, it is more dense than most meatloaves and it tastes great the next day in a sandwich with sautéed onions and ketchup.

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread in a small bowl. Pour milk over it and let the bread soak up as much liquid as it will hold.

In a large bowl, knead together beef, pork, and chorizo. Add bread, any milk left in the bowl, onion, eggs, salt, herbs, nutmeg, and ketchup. With super-clean hands, knead until ingredients are uniformly distributed.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On the lined sheet, mold the meat into a loaf shape, about 9 inches long. Lay bacon strips lengthwise on top. Bake 1 hour. Remove and let rest 20 minutes on a cooling rack. Transfer to a cutting board; slice and serve.

___________________________________________________________Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.
]]>Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:41 PM +0000http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Lasagna-Roll-ups-By-Annie-Copps-1338
http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Lasagna-Roll-ups-By-Annie-Copps-1338

Here's a fun and delicious twist on lasagna that you'll be happy to serve for dinner any time or whip up for a large buffet.

Lasagna rollups are made of the same ingredients as traditional layered lasagnas (and can handle all the variations of fillings and sauces). But this way, everyone gets their own, individual serving and it feels just a little more special, with no extra effort.

Let's start with the pasta. Cook off lasagna noodles until they are soft and flexible, but still al dente. Combine the usual lasagna suspects of ricotta cheese, egg, a few scrapes of fresh nutmeg, mozzarella cheese, parmesan and for texture, some chopped walnuts. Spoon a few tablespoons of the mixture onto one end of a cooked noodle, then gently roll to the end.

Place the rolled bundle into a baking dish and repeat with remaining pasta and filling. Top the whole party with your favorite sauce.

Directions
In a blender or food processor, combine ingredients and blend until smooth.

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling over each lasagna noodle. Roll up the lasagna end to end (jelly-roll style) and cut each roll-up in half, keeping jelly-roll style. Place cut-side down in a greased baking dish. Spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of pesto sauce over each roll-up. Cover tightly with buttered foil and bake 20 minutes.

___________________________________________________________Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.
]]>Tue, 21 Dec 2010 09:47 AM +0000http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Dijon-Meatloaf-By-Ming-Tsai-1334
http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Dijon-Meatloaf-By-Ming-Tsai-1334

Meatloaf. Not as easy as you think. When I first tried to make it as a kid, it came out of the oven like a brick. Here's a recipe to ensure that never happens to yours.

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Oil a 1 1/2-quart loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper or use a meatloaf pan.

In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons Dijon and 1 tablespoon of sambal and set aside.

In a large nonreactive bowl, combine the ground turkey and pork. Add the onions, garlic, the remaining 1/4 cup of sambal, soy sauce, eggs, Worcestershire sauce and panko. Season with salt and pepper and, using your hand, mix well.

Fill the pan with the mixture, and bake until cooked through, about 1hour and 15 minutes.

Unmold, slice, and serve with the sambal mixture on the side as a condiment.

Directions
Have a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Season the thighs and sear in hot pan until both sides are nicely colored. Remove chicken thighs to a plate. Pour off 50% of the chicken fat and add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil. Saute onions and garlic for 1 minute.

Add pasta to heat through and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil before serving.

Serve in pasta bowls.

__________________________________________________________Ming Tsai is the host and executive producer of public television series Simply Ming and chef/owner of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Mass.
]]>Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:25 PM +0000By Ming Tsai]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Sake-Black-Pepper-Mussels-With-Granny-Smith-ApplesBy-Ming-Tsai-920
http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Sake-Black-Pepper-Mussels-With-Granny-Smith-ApplesBy-Ming-Tsai-920

Apples may seem like a funny match for mussels, but believe-you-me the tartness and sweetness of apples play beautifully against the natural brininess of the mussels and a little bit of sake adds yet another element that makes this dish delicious.

Directions
In a wok over high heat coated lightly with oil, stir-fry garlic, shallots, and black pepper; add mussels and season. Deglaze with sake and cover to open mussels.

When mussels are starting to open, add ponzu, green apple and butter.

Cover for about 30 seconds to allow flavors to meld.

Serve in a large bowl and garnish with togarashi.
]]>Mon, 08 Nov 2010 08:18 AM +0000http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Shrimp-Scampi-By-Ming-Tsai-876
scampi is plural for scampo, the term for shrimp in Italian. In this recipe I give you my shrimp scampi, or shrimp-shrimp, with an east-west twist.
]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Shrimp-Scampi-By-Ming-Tsai-876

If you think about the term "shrimp scampi," you may assume that "scampi" is the technique by which shrimp is prepared, but in actuality scampi is plural for scampo, the term for shrimp in Italian. In this recipe I give you my shrimp scampi, or shrimp-shrimp, with an east-west twist.

Warm tortillas, make tacos.
__________________________________________________________Ming Tsai is the host and executive producer of public television series Simply Ming and chef/owner of Blue Ginger restaurant in Wellesley, Mass.

Beets have got to be one of the sexiest of vegetables—whether they are a deep glistening ruby red, vivid sunset yellow or clown-ish, with red & white stripes. Their earthy and rich flavor are all about strength and vitality. But food writer Sara Moulton doesn't agree.

Sara doesn't care for beets, why, we don't know, but her husband is crazy for them, so she developed a quick and easy recipe that even a registered beet hater could love.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook a pound of your favorite pasta—be sure to save some of that starchy cooking liquid, that is going to help make your sauce. In a separate pan saute onions, garlic and grated uncooked beets—there's your big time saver right there. Add some of that cooking liquid and goat cheese. Toss in the pasta and top with walnuts and you are good to go with a healthy and delicious meal in 30 minutes

]]>Tue, 14 Sep 2010 13:43 PM +0000By Annie Copps]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Boomas-Revenge-Chili-By-Annie-Copps-462
I am crazy for chili and make it in a variety of ways, but this recipe comes from a prize-winning chili maker and it'll be a winner for you, too.
]]>http://www.wgbh.org//articles/Boomas-Revenge-Chili-By-Annie-Copps-462

I am crazy for chili and make it in a variety of ways, but this recipe comes from a prize-winning chili maker and it'll be a winner for you, too. At Yankee magazine we come across a lot of great home cooks and we write about them in the column "best cook in town." This recipe is from Jerry Bouma, a home cook who competes and wins in chili competitions—it's a tamed down version of the competition recipe, which is too hot for us mortals and of course he'd never part with his prize-winning secret.

___________________________________________________________Annie B. Copps is a senior editor at Yankee Magazine. Annie oversees the magazine's food coverage, both as an editor and as a contributor of feature stories and columns.